The Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket

American Bikers Journal Vol. 29 #5 by Bob Kay

If you think about it, the evolution of the internal combustion engine is closely tied to increased freedoms for Americans. From the early 1900’s when motorcycles and cars opened new roads for people to travel to more places it was the internal combustion engine that won over electric and steam engines.

Back then there were no mandates, there was just evolution and a battle of innovation and resources to achieve the best result. There was no infrastructure initially to support motorcycles and cars. People were not told they had to give up their horses and carriages in favor of potential internal combustion jobs and economic expansion. Internal combustion engines, roads, bridges, and geographical expansion evolved over time at a natural pace. The American Dream did not come from an easy sleep. It evolved from innovation, hard work and every generation up until the most recent, was able to pass on greater opportunities to their children for a better life.

Today, our government (government agencies and some politicians) thinks they know what is best for us, therefore they must mandate us to act responsibly. The current mandates for manufacturers to increase electric vehicle production with no national infrastructure in place to support those mandates is absurd and will put stress points on existing infrastructure and citizens alike. Added to the mandates are the timelines to kill the internal combustion engine long before the infrastructure is in place. In the short term, politicians and regulators are trying to make owning or even working on an internal combustion engine unreasonable. This is a not-so-subtle attack on our freedoms.

We must protect the Right to Repair, protect the Right to Modify, protect the right to own and operate a vintage motorcycle (among others). Joining together to protect our lifestyle and freedoms we are putting regulatory agencies and Congress on notice that these freedoms are valuable and worth protecting.

Today’s internal combustion engines run cleaner and more efficiently than at any time in the history of these vehicles. Eliminating internal combustion will not change climate as fast as we have been told. Co2 is not only good for the planet, but also necessary. When you look at global warming for the past couple hundred years, the records show that the temperature is getting warmer. However, when proxy data from prehistoric times is examined, we are so far away from
dangerous levels, we should be questioning why other areas are not the center of focus today.

Focusing on the creation of recyclable plastics to eliminate plastic waste that never decomposes. Electric vehicles may solve one “problem.” However, another problem is created with the lack of decomposition for their batteries. Focusing on efficient recyclables, water pollution, and the fuel used without air scrubbers in developing nations. One “solution” does not solve all the problems.

We should continue to co-develop internal combustion, electric and hydrogen technologies. If electric vehicles do indeed solve a problem, then it makes more sense to build the infrastructure first, rather than to overburden existing infrastructure. Evolution does not happen overnight or because of government or bureaucratic mandates.

Evolution caused many of the horse and carriage jockeys to switch to internal combustion cars and motorcycles. And evolution may cause many of us to switch to vehicles powered by alternate means other than internal combustion. Barely one hundred years ago, cities as large as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles still had stables close to houses. There was no “movement” to force horse owners to get rid of their horses as the internal combustion gradually replaced horse drawn carriages.

The Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket, formed to protect our choices and keep government mandates at bay. Together with the Motorcycle Riders Foundation we will protect our lifestyle and our way of life!

I worship at the alter of Internal Combustion. I own a car with a 3-speed on the column, plus four bikes with foot clutches and hand shifts. Few things please me more than taking any one of those vehicles out for a ride. I enjoy the freedom.

Think about your freedom with this quote from song writer, Billy Joe Shaver, “With a pocket full of cash and a tank full of gas, you’re free.” And keep in mind that with an electric vehicle and digital currency, you are controlled.